TERRITORY OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF MINES Report of the Commissioner of Mines for the EPENNPUM ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1954 DEPARTMENT OF MINES STAFF ON DECEMBER. 31, 1954 Phil R. Holdsworth, Commissioner of Mines, Box 1391, Juneau January 10, 1955 James A. Williams, Associate Mining Engineer, Box 1391, Juneau Honorable B. Frank Heintzleman Tdartin W. Jasper, Associate Mining Engineer, Box 2139, Anchorage Governor of Alaska Juneau. Alaska Wiley D. Robinson, Associate Coal Mining Engineer, Box 2139, Anchorage Sir : Robert M. Saunders, Associate Mining Engineer, Box C, College I I have the honor to submit to you, and through you Arthur E. Glover, Assayer-Engineer, Box 1408, Ketchikan to the Twenty-second Session of the Territorial kegisla- I ture, in accordance with Section 47-3-1319, ACLA, 1949, Peter 0. Sandvik, Assayer-Engineer, Box 657, Norne the report of the Commissioner of Mines for the bien- William F. Attwood, Assayer-Engineer, Box @, College nium ended December 31, 1954. RoyPe C. Rowe, Assayes, Box 2139, Anchorage Respectfully submitted, Cathryn Mack, Administrative Assistant, Box 1391, Juneau PHIL R. HOLDSWORTH Jean Crosby, Stenographer-Clerk, Box 1391, Juneau Commissioner of Mines CONTENTS Page Letter of Transmittal .................................................................................. 3 The I>epartment of Mines ............................................................................. 7 Atlministrative and General Information ........................................ 7 Cooperation with Federal Agencies .................................................... 12 Field Investigations .................................................................................... 13 Table I-Field Investigations ..................................................... 14 Safety Inspections ...................................................................................... 18 Assay Offices and Field Stations ............................................................ 19 New Activities ............................................................................................ 20 The Alining Jndusiry ...................................................................................... 23 Future and Needs of the Industry ........................................................ 26 Basic Requirements for Development of a Sound Mining Industry .................................................................................. 29 Prospecting and Exploration .................................................................. 31 Precious Metals ........................................................................................... 33 Lode Mining .......................................................................................... 33 . Placer Minlng ..................................................................................... 35 Coal ................................................................................................................ 44 Coal Miners Examining Board ................................................................. 45 Base Metals .................................................................................................. 47 Radioactives .................................................................................................. 55 Nonmetallics ................................................................................................ 58 Oil and Gas .................................................................................................... 60 I. aws and Regulations Pertaining to Locating and Leasing Mineral Ground .................................................................................. 62 Table 11-Mineral Production of Alaska. 1952-1951 .................................. 68 Table 111-Average Metal Prices as Quoted by E.&M.J. ........................ 6:) Employment and Accidents at Mines ............................................................ 69 Fatalities ....................................................................................................... 69 Table IV-Employment at Mines. 1914 to 1954. inclusive ................ 72 Tahle V-Summary of Accidents and Employment at Mines in Alaska. 1953-1954 ............................................................................ 73 Table VI-Summary of Man-Shifts Worked. Fatal and Nonfat.al Accidents. and Time Lost in All Mines in Alaska ...................... 74 Lists of Alaskan Mining Operations Active During t.he Biennium. 1953-1954 ............................................................................ 7ci List of Reports Issued by the Commissioner of Mines and Corresponding Preceding Officials ................................................ 109 THE DEPARTMENT OF MINES Administrative and General Pnfomation The Territorial Department of Mines, under the management and direction of the Commissioner of Mines, hss charge of all matters affecting exploration, development and mining of the mineral resources of the Territory; the collection and dissemina- tion of all official information relative to the mineral resources, Page and mines and mining projects of the Territory; and has charge Interior view of part of the TDM Juneau headquarters office in of the administration of the laws with respect to all kinds of the new Territorial OfficeBuilding ................................................ 9 mining. The nenr Anchorage assay office at 329 - 2nd Avenue .............................. 11 The Department of Mines conducts a continuing survey of the mineral resources and mining operations of the Territory and disseminates information in regard thereto with a view to per- petuate and assist prospectors and miners; safeguards the lives and health of miners; protects investors in the mining industry; and otherwise fosters and promotes the best interests of the mining, mineral and related industries of the Territory. For the purpose of aiding bona fide miners and prospectors and stimulating mineral discoveries, the Department of Mines maintains four public offices in the Territory located at Ketchi- kan, College, Anchorage and Nome. In view of the extreme need for increased mining production in Alaska, the Department Is exerting every effort within its means to obtain basic information on mineral deposits of possible commercial importance and to disseminate this information to interested miners and venture capital. During the biennium, more time than ever before was spent in all offices in giving advice and assistance to exploration parties, researchers, and engineers or geologists representing mining companies who are looking for mining or investment opportunities. The Department also works continually for needed changes in mining and land laws which will make new mining ventures easier to achieve. 8 REPORT OF COFvlMISSIONER OF MINES Protection of investors was another field of endeavor in which the Department increased fts activity during the biennium. At the request of past, present, and prospective investors, various organizations and individuals were investigated and reprted on as to their reliability, reputation, or methods employed. This fs a distinct service to the legitimate operators as it helps maintain a good reputation for Alaskan mining in general. The staff of the Juneau office of the Department includes Phil R. Holdsworth, Commissioner of Purines; dames A. Williams, Associate Mining Engineer; an Administrative Assistant; and a Clerk-Stenographer. Located in the Anchorage area are Martfn W. Jasper, Associate Mining Engineer; Wlley D. Robinson, Associ- ate Goal Mining Engineer; and Royle C. Rowe, Assayer. Robert H. Saunders, Assodate Mining Engineer, and William F. Attwood, Assayer-Engineer, are stationed at College h the F'airbanks area. The Retchikan office is run by Arthur E. Glover, Assayer- Engineer, and the Home office by Peter 0. Sandvik, Assayer- Engineer. Several changes in personnel took place during the biennium. The change probably having the most marked effect on the opera- tion of the Deparhnent was the one in which Martin W. Jasper, s very capable mining engfneer of long experience, joined the Department at Anchorage where there has been no engineer before to help miners and prospectors of the Third Division. Royle C. Rowe also joined the staff at Anchorage after a training period at the Ketchlkan office. B was fortunate, too, for a11 concerned that Peter 0. Sandvik, former Anchorage &sayer, was released from the Army and joined the Department again at Nome to re- place Daniel Jones, who resigned on December 31, 1953, so that the Nome office could be kept in operation. Lowell Patten, at the College office, resigned in 1954 and was replaced by William F. Attwood. All Department positions are presentIy filled. The new Anchorage building was cornpIeted, occupied, and opened to the public late in 5953. At Nome, the new assay office is nearing completion and wlZl be ready for business early in the 1955 field season. A new building is being planned for the Col- lege office tor which construction funds are being requested from the 1955 Legislature. The way office situation at Ketchikan is presently unsettled, but the Department will attempt to "make do" there until 1957, and then request funds for a new assay building. Libraries of Alaskan publications issued by the U. S. Geoho- gical Survey, U. 5. Bureau of Mines and the Atomic Energy Com- mission are maintained at the assay offices and the Juneau head- quarters. These libraries are open to the public and, in addition to these